www.catunescomujer.org Gender and ICT: Unveiling social representations in the process of appropriation and change Gloria Bonder February, 2007 Was created into 2001, as an outcome of UNESCO Regional Forum, “Women, Science and Technology in Latin America: diagnoses and strategies” Bariloche – Argentina, 1998 -One of six events hosted by UNESCO in preparation of the Budapest World Science Conference- Gender, Society & Policy Area FLACSO – Argentina Headquarters -Latin American Institute for Postgraduate Studies in Social Sciences- UNITWIN NETWORK OF UNESCO CHAIRS: WOMEN, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND WATER: Sudan, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Costa de Marfil, Marruecos y Regional América Latina Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org BRIDGING RESEARCH AND POLICIES – INNOVATION – NETWORKING GENDER EQUITY IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY WOMEN/GENDER & SCIENCE YOUTH/ GENDER/ICT Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org ICT IN LATIN AMERICA: BASIC DATA • 76% of LAC population is located in urban areas. • Rapid socio-economic changes are increasingly affected by, and dependent on ICT use. However only a minority of citizens benefit from this progress. • Few countries have been very active and successful in embracing new and emerging technologies (Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica:“technology engines”) • Key ICT developments: - Electronic government services - Adoption of ICTs in the educational system - Adoption of ICTs by SMEs - Use of electronic commerce Gloria Bonder –www.catunescomujer.org Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org WORLD INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS World Regions % Population Usage Usage Growth (Penetration) % of World 2000-2005 AFRICA 2.6 % 2.3 % 423.9 % ASIA 9.9 % 35.6 % 218.7 % EUROPE 36.1 % 28.5 % 177.5 % MIDDLE EAST 9.6 % 1.8 % 454.2 % NORTH AMERICA 68.6 % 22.2 % 110.3 % LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN 14.4 % 7.8 % 342.5 % OCEANIA / AUSTRALIA 52.6 % 1.7 % 134.6 % WORLD TOTAL 15.7 % 100.0 % 183.4 % Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/ Differences among LAC countries. % of population that are Internet Users 1998 – 6 million users Chile 20% Argentina 10% 2004 – 72 million users Brazil 7.74% Mexico 3.38% Users are concentrated in urban Paraguay 0.98% areas, big and medium enterprises, Bolivia 0.36% medium to high incomes Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org FEMALE INTERNET USERS 38% of latin american internet users are women: The gender gaps are generally declining. However it remains large in older age groups, and in the rural areas. (Bonder, Gloria, 2004) Women represent 9% of medium and high level jobs in information technologies industries . They are 28.5% of computer programmers and 26.9% of systems analysits . However they represent 85% of data entry workers. (UNIFEM, 2000) Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org CONDITIONS OF APPROPRIATION OF ICT • ICTs are not merely tools or neutral resources that can improve per se the social economic and cultural conditions as they are. We need to “submerge technology within the socio-historical realm” Cornelius Castoriadis • In order to – Elucidate the imaginary social significations through which virtual technology institutes new meaning of reality, subjectivity, time, space, notions of future, power and social relations. – Understand the processes by which they are incorporated because of and with the promises they generate; the hope and confidence in their power as well as the fear and a sense of threat provoked by their use and non use. Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org GENDER IN ACTION Virtual Courses & Workshops Creators in the Knowledge Society Multimedia Resources Media, Culture and Alice in the Land of Education: Gendered Science & Technology Dialogues Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org Ways in which projects have understood and applied the gender equality approach Some women in the project as beneficiaries or staff. Equal number of men and women among participants and/or staff. A “gender expert” in the staff or as consultant. Gender equity integrated in human rights, citizenship and/or development visions and goals Gloria Bonder – www.prigepp.org / www.catunescomujer.orgGloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org Visions of project leaders “Social Rescue” Access and uses of ICT can prevent youth ”at risk” from ultimately falling into poverty and social exclusion. “Springboard” Tools ICT literacy triggers entry into the labor market and serves as an avenue for successful professional development. “Citizenship-building” and strengthening of Social Bonds Access to ICTs as part of a comprehensive program intended to foster the empowerment of youth and its organization, interaction and active participation in the community. Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org “To Communicate or Disappear” To broaden their interaction and communication networks; be part of a youth culture. “A Passport” To increase their autonomy and their employment and economic opportunities. “Technologies are not a window of opportunities; they are a door. People are willing to make sacrifices and give what they have to offer so as to have a door opened that will change their lives forever.” “Low-Cost Certification” To develop skills that will qualify them in the job market through a low-cost, short-term training. “The Top of the Wave” To participate in the construction of the “ future”. “Today, anyone without a good command of technology is an outcast; it is not about being a market outcast but a world outcast.” Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org OUTLOOKS OF ADULTS AND YOUTH ON THE ACCESS AND USES OF ICTS IN YOUTH PROGRAMS 1.Preferences: have access to Internet, e- 1. IT literacy should: mail and chat for interaction and communication with peers –virtual and . Avoid social and economic exclusion . Provide tools and certifications to access face-to-face (integration into a youth better job opportunities. culture ). Reduce social risk (“get youngsters out of 2. Primary interests: the streets”). . Prevent migration from their Entertainment (music, sports, communities videogames) . Further skills and encourage an Improve school assignments entrepreneurial attitude Job and career opportunities. 2. Create a supportive environment, sense of belonging and networking. However they did not hold great expectations for accessing the labor . Expand means and channels for communication and expression. market through ICT literacy , it might help but … Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org GENDER EQUITY IN IS/KS: CONCEPTUAL & ACTION FRAMEWORKS Democracy and Human Rights Human/Sustainable Development Inclusion, Social & Gender Justice Struggle Against Poverty Citizenship, Political Participation Cultural / Technological Production by Women/from a Women’s Perspective. Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org Which gender equality rhetorics are used in ICT policies? • “Travel Metaphors” (Hege Skjeie, 2005) or the myth of “Natural Progress” Linear optimism, patience, denial of on going power conflicts, lack of recognition of contextual changes and diversity within gender groups ACCESS USES FULL PARTICIPATION??? • MIANSTREAMING: ABRACADABRA Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY: FROM USERS AND CONSUMERS TO CITIZENS AND CREATORS Through ADVOCACY RESEARCH NETWORKING POLICIES TRAINING INNOVATION PRODUCTION Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org (…) the alleged triumph of high-technologies is not matched by a leap of the human imagination to create new images and representations.(…) Unless our culture can take up the challenge and invent suitably new forms of expression, this technology is useless. "Cyberfeminism with a difference“, Rosi Braidotti Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org Innovation, engaged participation, High quality challenges, education solidarity Gender S&T Netwo rks and Research Policies Gloria Bonder - www.catunescomujer.org .